Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Two Magic P's

And I'm not talking about potty-training here, folks.

Not long ago I shared about my dreams - about waiting - about patience. I believe Patience is the first "P" that's essential in publishing, ladies. But -- and this is a big "butt" -- let's not mistake patience for apathy.

Being patient doesn't mean leaving our manuscript on our computer because we received a rejection. It doesn't mean sitting on that "big butt". It doesn't mean waiting for opportunities to find us.

It does mean being Proactive (our second "P"). It does mean learning -- is there something I can do to improve the manuscript? Are there other publishers or agents who might be interested? Am I taking every opportunity to use my writing to reach my target audience?

Go easy, though. Break proactivity into small steps so you won't be overwhelmed. For instance:

Do a Google search for a Website that reaches your audience - then submit work to that website.

Dedicate time to write, write, write and revise, revise, revise.

Look for a church group that needs a speaker for your demographic. Reach as many people as you can with the message God has given you - but do it in small steps that are manageable for you.

I know how frustrating it can be to be in the waiting period -- both with publishing and with other life dreams. I shared with you before Christmas about how hard it was for two years to see one pink line on countless pregnancy tests.

About seven weeks ago, however, everything changed. After two years of patience and proactivity (finding out what was wrong with my body and what to do about it) -- I am thrilled to tell you we are welcoming a new little life into the world in September.

God believes in you. He believes in your dreams. All He asks is that you be patient and proactive.